Beauchamp, ex-Braves player and coach, dies  —  Former Braves player and coach Jim Beauchamp died Tuesday — Christmas Day — after a long battle with acute myelogenous leukemia.  He was 68.  —  Beauchamp was the bench coach for the Braves from 1991 to '98, a part of the team's World Series championship in 1995.

Teams pitch Santana deals but nothing connecting … The Twins continue to stay in contact with the Red Sox, Yankees, Mets and Mariners about a Johan Santana deal.  But those talks have moved so slowly it's now possible a Santana trade may not get done “for several weeks,” according to one source with knowledge of the discussions.

No news is good news for Mets' pitching prospect  —  Despite popping up in trade rumors, Parlin's Mulvey is still a keeper  —  PHILADELPHIA — There was a stretch this off-season where nearly every day, Kevin Mulvey got a news update from one of his best friends.  —  “Hey, did you hear you got traded?'”

Royals sign catcher Miguel Olivo to one-year deal with mutual option for 2009  —  Kansas City, MO (Dec. 27, 2007) - The Kansas City Royals have signed catcher Miguel Olivo to a one-year contract for 2008.  The Royals and Olivo each hold options for the 2009 season.  Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Debate: Is Goose Gossage a Hall of Famer?  —  Last year Rich “Goose” Gossage fell a mere 21 votes short of election to the Hall of Fame.  Now in his ninth year on the ballot, Gossage is considered the candidate most likely to be enshrined in 2008.  —  Will the former relief pitcher finally close …

The path to Cooperstown: Tim Raines and the Tablesetters  —  In my third annual THT column on position players on the Hall of Fame ballot, I'd like to focus on one of this year's leading Hall of Fame candidates, Tim Raines, and the players that are in some sense comparable to Raines: the tablesetters.

Mattingly's place on ballot deserved  —  Yankees legend enters eighth year of Hall of Fame candidacy  —  NEW YORK — For 14 seasons, Don Mattingly was the face of the New York Yankees.  Unfortunately for the first baseman, those years didn't result in any World Series championships, leaving the captain with a big hole on his resume.

Prior to pitch for the Padres  —  Local product agrees to incentive-laden, one-year deal  —  Mark Prior was one of the National League's premier pitchers in 2003.  —  In just his second major league season, Prior posted an 18-6 record and a 2.43 earned-run average for the Chicago Cubs …

Report: Clemens' lawyer to put P.I.'s on case  —  Roger Clemens' lawyer has hired private investigators in an attempt to challenge the credibility of Brian McNamee, who has claimed to have injected Clemens with steroids, a lawyer familiar with the matter told The New York Times.

Erstad signs one-year deal with Astros  —  Veteran to serve as lefty bat and backup outfielder off bench  —  HOUSTON — Outfielder Darin Erstad has reached an agreement with the Astros on a one-year contract worth $1 million plus incentives, general manager Ed Wade confirmed on Thursday.

Ex-Oriole Hawkins agrees to terms with Yankees  —  Reliever signs one-year deal worth $3.75 million  —  NEW YORK - The New York Yankees finalized a $3.75 million, one-year contract with LaTroy Hawkins on Thursday, strengthening their weak middle relief with the veteran right-hander.

Congressman Shays blasts Selig on steroids policy  —  WASHINGTON — Rep. Christopher Shays, a member of a congressional panel probing the use of steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs in baseball, said Thursday there is little to be gained by calling players to testify at hearings scheduled for next month.

Mitchell Report not affecting baseball ticket sales  —  Major League Baseball has always had its doomsayers.  Well, maybe not always, but certainly in the past several decades.  For one reason or another, baseball has been a dying sport.  Except it has never died.